Rebels in shoulder pads

OXFORD – The hitting increased a bit Wednesday as the Ole Miss Rebels put on shoulder pads for the first time.
While Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt liked the improvement he saw in the timing of his offense, it was the Rebels’ defense that stood out with three turnovers forced, two of them returned for scores.
Tackle Jerrell Powe and free safety Kendrick Lewis each took an interception into the end zone.
“As we get into a little soreness the pads start to get a little heavier, and the sun seems to come out a little bit longer. Now we’ve got to find out what we’ve got. I’m excited about where we are right now,” Nutt said. “The defensive is averaging about two scores a day. I love seeing that on the defensive side.”
The Rebels will practice in helmets and shoulder pads again today and will put on full gear for the first time on Friday. They will scrimmage at noon Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The scrimmage is open to the public.

Around the SEC
– Kentucky senior center Jorge Gonzalez has been suspended for the season-opener against Miami (Ohio) after a violation of team rules. … Arkansas standout tight end D.J. Williams sat out Wednesday after “tweaking” his ankle on Tuesday. … South Carolina closes its workouts to the public as two-a-days begin today. … Vanderbilt went though its first two-a-day workout on Wednesday. … Alabama will hold its second two-a-day workout session today.